Key Stage 2 - Amazing Seeds

Pupils use their observational skills to discover the beauty and variety of seeds.

A selection of amazing seeds

Overview

Pupils explore seed, from the everyday to the exotic. Using microscopes pupils are able to observe closely a variety of seeds, comparing and contrasting their structures and uses. They identify seeds matching them to the amazing plants they grow into. This activity can take place in the Millennium Seed Bank where the importance of conserving these beautiful seeds is explained.

Length: approximately 45 minutes

Group size: 30 students (maximum)

Minimum supervision required: 1 adult per 8 students

Programme cost: Part of a full- or half-day visit. See our Prices and FAQs page for more information

Learning outcomes

We design our sessions to match the learning outcomes in the National Curriculum. All our sessions have a cross-curricular approach and are tailored to suit the educational needs of your group. We aim to give pupils opportunities to work scientifically in areas that are difficult or impossible to create in the school environment.

This session offers pupils the opportunity to:

handle a variety of native and exotic seeds

observe the seeds closely using microscopes

compare the size, colour and texture of seeds

identify and relate seeds to the plant they grow into

understand some of the uses of seeds

understand the need for conservation of seeds

Curriculum links

This KS2 visit supports and enhances the Science curriculum offered in schools.

Year 3 Plants

explore the part that flowers play in the life cycle of flowering plants, including pollination, seed formation and seed dispersal

Year 4 Living things and their habitats

recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things